Sports & Fitness

International Yoga Day has my week jam packed

With the theme 'Yoga at home and Yoga with Family' the world celebrates the occasion as usual on June 21st

Updated 5 years ago · Published on 16 Jun 2021 3:00PM

International Yoga Day has my week jam packed
Health workers and staff of Jitendra Narayan Roy hospital perform yoga postures on the terrace of the hospital building to celebrate the International Yoga Day in Kolkata on June 21, 2020. - AFP pic. June

by Atilia Haron

MY whole week is packed. I love it. Every year, around this time I get a few more yoga gigs - more than my normal -  because the world celebrates International Yoga Day (IYD) on 21st of June every year.

The reason why this particular date was chosen by the United Nations is because it is the day the sun is out the longest as compared to other days.

There is a different theme every year and this year’s is “Yoga at home and Yoga with Family”.

How apt. I taught a “Mummy and Me” class last week and it was so much fun. The interactions I got from the kids and their parents were so heartwarming. I love that Yoga is not always considered serious practice and more and more homes are adopting yoga into their lives and making it super fun! With the whole world going through this pandemic, we need this.

I am so proud to announce that more than 500 students have booked for all my classes during IYD week. I think we are getting used to home practices and embracing the whole idea of keeping healthy while staying safe at home.

Realising the importance of yoga practice, this year’s theme and commemoration of IYD is in line with the core care for our physical and mind health. This is wonderful as Yoga helps in promoting total wellness of every individual. It is the main aim anyway, which is to raise awareness of the benefits that yoga brings.

Also the growing trend of yoga shows that it helps so much with social isolation and depression during these trying times. Yoga is also playing a significant role in the psycho-social care and rehabilitation of COVID-19 patients in quarantine and isolation. It is particularly helpful in allaying their fears and anxiety.

But yoga is more than a physical activity. In the words of one of its most famous practitioners, the late B. K. S. Iyengar, “Yoga cultivates the ways of maintaining a balanced attitude in day-to-day life and endows skill in the performance of one’s actions.”

This week, I would like to invite you to just have a free flow with me. I will show you a few flowy poses that you can do on your own and as many times as you like. Enjoy! Namaste and ohhhh HAPPY YOGA DAY! - The Vibes. June 16, 2021

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